U.S. Representative Nick Lampson of Texas recommended Nidiffer and Detective Sergeant David Wurtz of the Oakland County Sheriff's Office for the award for their work in the recovery of Genevieve Nielsen.

Nielsen was abducted on Mother's Day weekend in 1976 by her non-custodial father and reunited with her mother on Mother's Day weekend in 2006. Genevieve was found living in Arizona under an alias. Her father had led her to believe that her mother was killed in a car accident.